Carl W. Kenney II is an award winning columnist and novelist. He is committed to engaging readers into a meaningful discussion related to matters that impact faith and society. He grapples with pondering the impact faith has on public space while seeking to understand how public space both hinders and enhances the walk of faith.

Friday, April 14, 2017

Bombs before Easter

I learned about the launching of the big bomb in the middle
of doing a radio show. It followed a high moment of laughter. I can’t remember
what I said, but Valerie Whitted and Karl Blake Patterson rolled on the floor
and laughed out loud in response as the music played.

It was a much needed break from the lunacy that has come to
define our days. Questions about Putin, being dragged on a plane and a myriad
of other headlines has made it tough to play. Yes, we needed the break. The music
helped.

“I love hearing your smiley faces,” Val Jones, a local poet
and weekly contributor on the Creative Colorful People radio show on WCOM,
said.“It’s what I needed given what
just happened.”

What happened? We hadn't heard

The news hit us hard and sucked the smiles off our faces
like we’d been hit by a big dude holding a two by four.

The obvious questions followed. I wanted to cuss. I wanted
to scream. I did.

Then it hit me.

It’s Maundy Thursday, a day on the Christian calendar that
forces those connected to the big c Church to contemplate how our sin impacts
and impedes the work of Christ. It’s the day we question our motives and
assumptions related to the work of the Church. On this day, we ponder how each
of us participates in manipulating and executing the teaching of Christ.

How does a Christian find the doggedness required to press
the button to launch that huge bomb? How does a Christian do that during the
Passion Week? How can we, as Americans responsible for the deaths of men,
women and children all over the world, deny how these acts interfere with our
high season of spiritual cleansing?

How do we forget Jesus demand – if you deny my desire to
wash your feet, you have no part of me? How do we forget the words in the upper
room – one of you will betray me. All of you will deny me. You will witness me
tolerate extreme punishment followed by my execution. You will say nothing. You
will do nothing.

You will forget my teachings and hide among those who
requested my death.

The Passion Week reminds the Church of its silence. It
forces us to ruminate on a long history of apathy. With each act of
terror – the Church was there. With each pride consumed act of rage – America
has asserted assumptions of Christian privilege to intimidate other nations.

You can’t do this during our sacred season. You can’t wave
the American flag, sing “God Bless America”, while a weapon of mass
destructions falls on God’s children in Afghanistan. Not during our holy season.

Not when people are praying to understand lessons related to
Jesus’ execution. What role do we play whenever the teachings of Jesus are
sacrificed for a national agenda? What happens when the voice of Jesus is
relegated in the promotion of an idea that makes America the Christian role
model for the world? What are we, Americans who advance a political cause that
seeks to execute Muslims, teaching about the life and ministry of Jesus?

The Passion Week is about the silence of the Church. It
helps us consider how our silence has showed up historically. It showed up when
the Church was silent regarding the execution of Native Americans. It happened
when the Church used scriptures to promote slavery. It happens when scriptures
are used to silence women.

Yes, the physical body of Jesus was killed. In executing
Jesus, the aim was to silence his teaching. Thus, the Passion Week reminds us
of how the teachings of Jesus are continually silenced by those who participate
in the work of the Church.

Not this time. We have learned our lesson. Not during our
week of prayer!

“Play one of those Gil Scott Heron songs,” Whitted said as
we approached the end of the show. “He talked a lot about war.”

Blake played one of those songs. I can’t remember the song
or the lyrics. Another song penetrated my mind.

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Carl W. Kenney II

Carl was named the best serious columnist of 2011 by the North Carolina Press Association for his work with the News & Observer's community paper The Durham News and in 2016 by the Missouri Press Association for his columns in the Columbia Missourian. He is a columnist with the News & Observer and Co-Executive Producer of "God of the Oppressed" an upcoming documentary film on black liberation theology. He is a former Adjunct Professor at the University of Missouri - School of Journalism and Adjunct Instructor at Duke University, the Center for Documentary Studies. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He furthered his education at Duke University and attained a Master of Divinity. He was named a Fellow in Pastoral Leadership Development at the Princeton Theological Seminary on May 14, 2005. He is a freelance writer with his commentary appearing in The Washington Post, Religious News Services,The Independent Weekly and The Durham Herald-Sun. Carl is the author of two novels: “Preacha’ Man” and the sequel “Backslide”.
He has led congregations in Missouri and North Carolina